Exploring reasons behind UK doctors leaving the medical profession: a series of qualitative interviews with former UK doctors

BACKGROUND: The retention of doctors is an important issue for the National Health Service; yet evidence suggests that the proportion of doctors wanting to leave UK medicine is increasing. Some of these doctors chose to continue their medical careers in other countries, however, some decided to leave the profession entirely. OBJECTIVES: This was the first study to interview a cohort of UK doctors who have left the medical profession to embark on alternative careers. Participants were asked about the reasoning behind their decision to leave medicine. DESIGN: Qualitative study using one-to-one, semi-structured virtual interviews. PARTICIPANTS: 17 participants, recruited via purposive sampling. SETTING: Zoom interviews with 17 former UK doctors who had left medicine to pursue alternative careers were conducted between February and July 2021. FINDINGS: Data were analysed using thematic analysis and the theory of work adjustment was applied to findings. The most frequently discussed reasons for leaving were associated with factors preventing participants from providing a desired level of patient care, work-life balance, a lack of support, a lack of control over working lives and the pull of alternative careers. While reasons for leaving varied between participants, all participants reported greater satisfaction in their new careers. CONCLUSION: New careers were able to address many of the issues that caused participants to leave UK medicine. Consequently, it is important that some of the key issues raised in this study are addressed to retain more doctors in the UK medical workforce.